Snap-seal.



W. M. BROOKS.

SNAP SEAL.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 17, 1913. 1,093,250. Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

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WINFRED MUDGE BROOKS, OF EAST ORANGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO E. J. BROOKS & 00,015 NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

SNAP-SEAL.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 14, 1914.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, VVINFRED MUDGE BROOKS, a citizen of the United States of America, and a resident of East Orange, in the State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Snap-Seals, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates, in common with numerous improvements by Edward J. Brooks and myself, severally, to self-fastening seals, or snap seals as they are commonly termed, for use, as substitutes for lead-and-wire seals and other press-fastened or press-fastenable sealing devices, to secure the doors of railway freight cars and for other like purposes. Recent examples of such snap seals are set forth in my previous specification forming part of United States Letters Patent No. 1,056,623, patented March 18, 1913, and in previous specifica tions of said EdwardJ. Brooks therein referred to. The present invention is more particularly additional to the improvements in snap seals set forth in my said previous specification; relating, in common there-with, toa snap seal in which the seal part includes two bulb members united by a circumferential joint, and to double catch-engaging center pieces for such seal parts, and flexible sheet-metal shackles adapted to interlock therewith and having normally fiat snap-catch shackle ends.

The present invention consists in improved constructions of the seal part and shackle, and in a snap seal embodying such improved seal part and such improved shackle or either of them, as hereinafter particularly described and claimed.

The leading objects of this invention are to prevent accidentally inserting the second shackle end out of place; to resist the insertion of a fiat tool between either shackle end and the protruding guide portion of the center piece in attempts to unfasten the seal; and to render the shackle extremities tightly held within the seal part, for in creased security.

Other objects will be set forth in the general description which follows.

A sheet of drawings accompanies this specification as part thereof.

Figures 1, 2 and 3 are respectively top, bottom and side views of the preferred center piece of the improved snap seal Figs.

at and 5 are respectively side and bottom views of the improved seal part with said center piece inclosed; Fig. 6 is a face view of the improved shackle; Fig. 7 is an edge view of the shackle with the seal part attached, representing the improved seal as it leaves the factory; Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are magnified sectional views representing respectively at Fig. 8 the improved seal as it leaves the factory, as above; at Fig. 9 a like section through the improved seal with both shackle ends snap fastened; at Fig. 10, a section on the line AB, Fig. 9.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in all the figures.

The present snap seal, like those on which it is an improvement, is composed of a hollow sheet-metal seal part, a, a resiliently flexible sheet metal shackle 6, having both ends providedwith snap-catch members, and a center piece, 0, which is inclosed by and forms the snap-catch members of the seal part.

The seal part a is composed, as heretofore, of bulb members 1 and 2 permanently united after the insertion of the center piece 0 by a circumferential joint, 8, the top of the upper bulb member being slotted to form an inlet hole, 4, Figs. 8-10. This inlet hole is fitted, as heretofore, to the two ends 5 and 6 of the shackle, Z1, with a protruding guide portion 7 of the center piece 0 between them, and to inlet guards 8 and 9 on the re spective shackle ends formed by embossing the sheet metal and including semi-cylindrical portions which enter the seal part through central enlargements of said inlet hole. In the improved seal the slotted bulb member 1 of the seal part a is conveniently made shorter than heretofore; the lower or solid bulb member 2 is provided with its annular shoulder 10 to interact with the supporting points 11, 12, 13, let of the center piece a, some distance below the plane of the joint 3, instead of at said plane; and the internally concave bottom, 2, of the seal part is contracted to fit rather closely the eX- tremities of the shackle ends 5 and 6, and to contact therewith in the fastened seal as shown in Figs. 9 and 10. It is found that this adds materially to the security of the seal.

Each of the shackle ends, 5 and 6, is preferably notched as heretofore to form a pair of lateral catch shoulders, 15, 16, and provided with an additional catch member, 17, located substantially as set forth in my said previous specification forming part of said Letters Patent No. 1,056,623; said catch member 17 of each end of the improved shackle being preferably a clean-cut round catch hole. Between the inlet guards 8 and 9 the shackle is or may be provided withthe customary distinguishing marks in the form of lettering, serial numbers or the like, either embossed or printed, as represented by A. B. C. D. Ry. and 500000 in Fig. 6. The shackle end 5 of the improved shackle is further constructed with an embossed projection, or rounded protuberance, 18, located so as to project immediately above the guide portion 7 when the seal part a is attached to the shackle b at the factory. Compare Figs. '68. This simple device prevents the entrance of the extremity of the second shackle end, 6, between the shackle end 5 and the guide portion 7 when the second shackle end is hurriedly thrust into the seal part at the sealing operation, and also assists materially to prevent the insertion the improved shackle are further preferably provided with -inspection facilitating apertures 19, flanked by strain-resisting ribs 20,

parallel with both edges of the shackle these apertures being so located that they are alined with each other above the seal part a and center piece 0, at a convenienti point for inspection purposes; and said ribs 1' compensating for the weakening of the j shackle ends by perforating them, so that; they may be thrust endwise into the seal} part with the requisite force. If said aper- 5 tures are found in line in a fastened seal, so that the inspector can look through, it is: evidence that both shackle ends are intact. j The absence of either aperture, or lack of alinement, is evidence that the seal has been 3 Both shackle ends, 5 and 6, of the improved shackle are also so proporti'oned as to length, with reference to the solid bulb member 2, or the space within the 1 seal part a, that in their fastened positions; Figs. 8-10, the extremity of each shackle end 5 contacts with the bottom 2 of the seal part; sufiiciently to slightly spring the shackle end, as represented in Figs. 8 and 9, which insures the effective interaction of the: shackle shoulders, 15, 16, with the center} piece 0 as in Fig. 10, and materially adds to I the security of the seal. The extremities of. both shackle ends of the improved shackle are further preferably concaved, as shown at 21 in Figs. 6 and 10, to center them when they contact with the spring catches, 22, of the center piece 0, so as to insure alining the catch holes 17 of the shackle ends with thetampcred with.

extremities of .said catches .22 when the re spective shackle ends are snap-fastened. These catches 22 of the center piece 0 are, or may be for the purposes, of the present invention, of the simple tapering form shown in Figs. 1-3 and Fig. 10, and interlock with the catch holes 17 successively when the respective ends ofthe shackle b are thrust into the seal part a to the required extent. This thrust, as before stated, is a trifle more than suiiici'ent to bring the extremities of the 'sha'ckleends 5 and 6 into contact with the bottom 2 ofthe seal part. The additional pressure springs the shackle end, and the audible snap follows; the fastened shackle ends retaining sufficient spring to press the catch shoulders, 15, 16, into upward effective contact with the op-t posing surfaces or edges ofthe center piece as heretofore accomplished by pulling the shackle. See Fig. 10.

l The projection 18 may obviously be duplicated at the shackle end "6, if desired, so as to more effectively guard the seal-part inlet; the spring snap catches 22'of the center piece 0 and the matching ca'tch members 17 of theshackle may be of the forms shown in mydrawings forming part of said Letters Patent No. 1,056,623; and other like modifications will suggest .themselves to those skilled in the art.

Having thus described said improvement, I claim as my invention and desire to patent under this specification:

1. An improved snap seal having, in combination, a bulb-shaped seal part constructed with a suitable inlet hole, a resiliently flexible shackle constructed with a normally 'flat 'withdrawal-resistingcatch portion at each end, and a center piece "comprising snap catches within said seal part and a central guide portion protruding through said inlet hole; one shackle end being adapted to be preliminarily inserted with the aid of said guide, and snap fastened within the seal part, and further provided with a guard projection located immediately above said guide in the fastened position of said shackle end and projecting over said guide, whereby the insertion of the other shackle end between said guide and the preliminarily fastened shackle end which carries said guard projection is prevented.

2. The 'COIIIlOIIIalH-OH, in a snap seal, of a.

bulb-shaped seal part constructed with a suitable inlet hole, a resiliently flexible the shackle, and to guard the space between said guide and the adjoining shackle surface from which said protuberance projects.

3. The combination, in a snap seal, of a hollow sheet-metal seal part having a suitable inlet hole in its top, a resiliently flexible shackle having its ends provided with catch members and adapted to be inserted through said inlet hole, and a center piece comprising a pair of snap catches within said seal part adapted to interlock with said shackle ends; said seal part being composed of bulb members permanently united with each other by a circumferential joint and provided respectively with said inlet hole and with an internally concave bottom contracted to contact with the fastened shackle ends and an annular shoulder at a distance below the plane of said joint adapted to support said center piece.

4. The combination, in a snap seal, of a hollow sheet metal seal part having a suitable inlet hole in its top, a resiliently flexible shackle having its ends provided with catch members including a pair of with drawal-resisting shoulders near each extremity and adapted to be inserted through said inlet hole, and a center piece having catch members adapted to interlock with those of said shackle ends including portions constructed and arranged to contact with said withdrawal-resisting shoulders; the length between said shoulders and the extremities of the shackle ends being sufiicient to compel springing the shackle ends in contact with the bottom of said seal part in the act of snap fastening each shackle end, whereby the resiliency of the shackle ends is made to press said shoulder upward into effective engagement with said center piece in the fastened seal, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

WINFRED MUDGE BROOKS. Witnesses GEO. R. FORD, MARIE C. DEMPSEY,

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

